Sun of the water now let this mind be in you which also was in Jesus Christ a heavenly mind Eighthly The Lord Christs mind was a zealous mind a servent mind in 2 Joh. 17. Christ was zealous there in driving them out of the Temple that made his fathers house a den of Thieves He was zealous against the Traditions Doctrines and Practises of the Scribes and Pharisees the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up saith he a zealous mind he had Mat. 15. he was zealous against the tradition of the Elders and in Mat. 23. he was zealous against the Scribes and Pharisees woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites often he pronounces woe to them he had a zealous mind against all was corrupt and wicked So how zealous was Christ against the Churches for failings Rev. 2.2 3 4 5. I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apâ—stles and are not and hast found them lyars and hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted He commends them for what was good first Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love I have somewhat against thee Ephesus thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Here 's the zeal of Christ I 'le come and I 'le come quickly and I 'le come and put out the Candle and break the Candlestick I will come and lay you waste though you be a Church if you dont return to your first works and first love The Lord had a zealous mind and spirit against declensions against declensions in love and grace and the like so in Heb. 5.7 who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save O how zealously did Christ Pray when he prayed till the blood trickled down Christ had a zealous mind Now let this mind be in you also to have a zealous mind against traditions superstitions against declinings in Grace against Apostacy and things of that nature Ninthly the Lord Christ had a peaceable and a quiet mind in Mat. 11. saith Christ learn of me for I am meek he had a quiet and a meek mind and Mat. 12.19 he shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man here his voice in the streets he shall be meek and quiet and peaceable it 's said of Seraiah in Jeremiah that he was a quiet Prince much more of Jesus Christ there was no striving no bitterness no contention and the like but peaceable and quiet he was Now let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a meek a quiet a peaceable mind the Ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price saith the Apostle Peter speaking of Godly women such a spirit had Christ a quiet and a meek spirit and let this be in Christians and in Churches Tenthly the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ it was a submissive mind a submissive mind to his Fathers will whatever hard thing he should meet withall though he met with the hardest thing that was immaginable yet Christ was submissive unto it in Luke 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove the Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done There was a cup prepared for Christ that never was the like cup for any to drink a a cup that had so much gall so much of the wrath of God a cup wherein all the guilt of our sins were and all the merit and desert of them this cup Christ must drink well saith he Father seeing I must drink it not my will but thy will be done So that the Lord Christ had a submissive mind to any hard and severe providence We are apt to stumble and quarrel and keep a do if things go cross to our wills and cannot bear them and say Lord not my will but thy will be done But let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus a submissive mind to the providences of God to drink the bitterest cup that he shall order out for you Eleventhly the Lord Christ had a Compassionate mind he was full of bowels of compassion and very tender hearted Mat. 15.32 Then Jesus called his Disciples unto him and said I have Compassion on the multitude because they continue now with me three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting least they saint in the way O I pitty them I have compassion on them I would not have them faint in the way and so afterwards in Mat. when some came and cryed to him that he would shew them mercy saith the Text Christ had compassion on them Mat. 20.3 4. he was wonderful compassionate Heb. 4.15 We have not an High-Priest which cannot â—e tâ—uched with the feeling of our Infirmities the Lord Christ doth feel the infirmities of every member of his body and in Heb. 2.17 It behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest He is sensible of our ignorances and infirmities weakness ful of bowels compassions Why then let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus a compassionate a merciful mind he was the good Samaritan which had compassion when neither the Priest nor the Levite would Twelfthly Lastly the Lord Christ had a loving mind a mind full of love a forgiving mind he â—ad such love as he could cover sins and forgive sins Eph. 5.2 walk in love as Christ also hath loved us O Christ hath loved us loved us and washed us in his own blood loved us and lay'd down his life for us loved us dearly and strongly loved us even above himself well saith he let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus walk in love as Christ hath loved us And he loved us so as to forgive those that wronged him though they wronged him exceedingly took away his garments took away his credit took away his liberty took away his life Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 and therefore he appoints or commands Mat. 5.44 I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Christ did so let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus Thus you see what mind was in Christ Yet to reduce things to these four particulars First to have the mind of Christ is to have the same thoughts in you that Christ had Christ had no ill thoughts in him but rebuk'd ill thoughts why think you evil in your hearts as it is in Psal 139.17
and the things of God as things by the by and they look after the world as the main business Fifthly Then I use the world aright and dont abuse it when my moderation is known that way and my affections run out little to the world when our moderation and affection towards them is such as if they were not And this you shall see plain in the 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. saith he It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none When my moderation and affection towards a wife be as though I had none and they that weep as though they wept not you are under great and heavy afflictions but you weep as if you wept not And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not Have you prosperous times and all things go well Be as if you rejoyced not as if there were no such thing And those that buy as though they possessed not Be as if you had no possessions no houses no lands when you have bought and purchas'd them And they that use this world as not abusing it When our moderation is such towards things as if they were not Phil. 4. Let your moderation be known to all men Sixthly Lastly we use the world as not abusing it when we so use it that we can give a good and chearful account to God concerning what we have had in the world God gives some men great portions and some men less portions there 's none but have something Now when we use our Gifts our Estates our Relations so that we can give a good account to God Come give account of thy Stewardship it will be said e'r long to every man and woman thou hast had Wife and Children and Parents and Brethren and Sisters and health and strength and the like come give account of your Stewardship now when we so use all that we can give a good and chearful account to God we have not abused the world but us'd it the right way There 's a question or two more before I come to the use and application of the point which is this Qu. Are not the creatures of God good and may we not love them being good for good is the object of love An. To this I answer first that the good in the creature is very little very little compared to spiritual good or the goodness of God The good of the creature is very little and so little that it cannot make us good but rather doth further our corruptions and feed our lusts for all that is in the world as he saith here is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life The things of the world do feed our lusts and are stronger to set our corruptions a work than to further that good is in us and because the things of the world do divert us from God or discourage us towards good or corrupt the good is in us therefore the Lord hath forbid us to love the world though there be some good in the world But Secondly I answer that we may love the world and the things thereof as a man loves his tools to carry on some business of concernment so we may love the world as it may further us in our chief business if riches will promote the gospel promote and further our spiritual interest in Christ our peace and comfort and graces so far we may love the world And Thirdly We may love the world in subordination to God so we may love the world with a subordinate love to God so it hinders not love to God so we may love the good that is in the world and in the creature otherwise we must not love the world Qu. Another question is whether may a man follow his calling to be rich and take the calling which will bring in most gain men are in the world and have their callings in the world may not a man follow his calling to be rich and choose the calling which will be most gainful unto him This is a common practice of men they do follow their callings to be rich and choose those callings that may be most profitable An. But the answer to it is negative they may not do so and I shall give you reasons for it for First It is a heathenish thing to plead the goodness of a calling from the gain of a calling 't is a heathenish practice in the 19. Acts. 24 25. A certain man named Demetrius a Silver-Smith which made Silver Shrines for Diana brought no small gain unto the Crafts-men whom he brought together with the work-men of like occupation and said Sirs ye know that by this craft we have our wealth or gain The Heathens did plead the goodnes of their calling from the gain that it brought in unto them now we should not account a calling good because it 's gainful the very Heathens did so In the 2 Pet. 2.3 speaking of false Prophets Through covetousness shall they which feigned words make Merchandize of you Through covetousness true Prophets are to have their maintenance and countenance and to live comfortably but the end of their calling is not gain now the Scripture condemns it and it was their sin they would sell their souls for gain they car'd not what became of their souls so they might have gain and profit thereby And when two callings do lye before a man he is not to choose that calling will bring most gain but that calling he is most fit for that God hath fitted him for and given him gifts and talents whereby he may use the calling well So that that 's the first answer unto it Secondly in callings men must aim at the publick good the good of the Church the good of State and not at gain in the 2. Neh. 10. When Sanballat the Heronite and Tobiah the Servant the Ammonite heard of it it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the Children of Israel Nehemiah did not seek himself but he sought the welfare of the children of Israel the publick good he had his calling he was governour and he did seek the welfare of the children of Israel and in Esth 10.3 It 's said of Mordecai That he sought the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed So every man should make that his main aim to seek the publick good of Church or State and as a Heathen said our Countrey our Parents our Friends do challenge part of our estates or of our callings or of what we get we are not to be for our selves but for the publick good so in the 2 Cor. 12.15 saith the Apostle there I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved Paul did mind them and not what they had he would spend and be spent for them he would sacrifice himself if there were occasion upon their faith to confirm and strengthen
THE Sound-hearted Christian OR A TREATISE OF Soundness of Heart With several other SERMONS As Of Believing Of being of Christs mind Of doing all in his Name Of the preciousness of the Word Of the sweetness of the Word and Against the Love of the World By William Greenhill Non progredi est regredi London Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Cross Keys in Bishopsgate-street near Leaden-hall 1670. To that little Flock the Author of the ensuing Treatise relates unto DEarly beloved knowing that shortly I must put off my earthen Tabernacle I thought it meet whilst I am in it to mind you of something Preached amongst you and to present the same in Print unto you that ye might be able after my decease to have the same alwayes in remembrance The chief part of the Treatise is about Soundness of Heart and what is my desire but that you may be found sound hearted The times we live in are discovering times and the unsoundness of many is lay'd open before the Sun they began in the spirit and now are ending in the flesh many are declined and too many declining The Jews rejoyced in John's light for a season Those of Asia followed Paul while the Sun shined but when it was cloudy weather they turn'd aside Those that came out of Egypt meeting with hardships unlook'd for would have gone back to Egyptian flesh-pots and of six hundred thousand men only Caleb and Joshuah who had sound hearts entred into Canaan The holy Scripture mentions but one Demas who imbrac'd the world now there are many so drench't in it that they are in danger of erring from the faith Have not some of all perswasions amongst us manifested their unsoundness by deserting their principles and practices Have not some forsaken their first love and are become lukewarm Laod ceans Are not many halting between God and Baal Are not multitudes return'd to the Romish Synagogne whose Head they pretend is Peter's Successor but unlike him altogether except in denyal of his Lord and Master Have not some gone out from you that were not of you and left Christ the only true light for their own light is it not an hour of Temptation Are there not blustring winds of Doctrine abroad that would blow away the grace and gospel of Christ and have only morality for grace and gospel Is not the Dragon wroth with the Woman and making war with the remnant of her seed which keep the Commandments of God now manifest your selves to be of that seed admit of nothing against the command of Christ without you or the light and motions of the spirit within you The Rabbins say that in the Kingdom of Messiah there is nothing of mans invention In regno Messiae nil mundanum If the Whores golden Cup be offer'd you look not at the glittering outside but the poyson within and drink not thereof least you dye keep your garments clean meddle not with any thing that defileth or is defiled Think not Ordinances needless things for if so the taking away the Kingdom of Heaven from the Jews was no great judgement nor the bestowing of it upon another people any great mercy Have an high esteem of the Word and Oudinances for where there is no vision people perish Hold fast what you have heard and stand fast in the Lord and so shall ye live and you shall be our hope our joy and crown of Rejoycing That you may do so and be so in this day of Tryal and Tribulation this little Treatise is commended unto you wherein you will find what soundness of heart is how greatly desirable and excellent whether your hearts be so how to get such hearts and how to keep them being gotten with something of faith something of being of Christs mind of doing all in his name something of the preciousness and sweetness of the Word and somewhat against the love of the world which if you will read mind and practice you will never fall from the principles and stedfastness but be stronger and stronger and hold on the way until you appear before the Lord in glory The God of all grace be with you dwell in you and inable you all in all things to do his will Yours in the work of the Lord to serve you W. G. ERRATA PAge 10. line 24. read are p. 11. l. 16. r. his p. 15. l. 18. r. 1st Use p. 29. l. 3. r. Obs 2. p. 31. l. 7. r. hereupon p. 35. l. 11. r. do p. 37. l. 29. r. Hezekiah p. 44. l. 6. r. do p. 46. l. 30. r. Jannes p. 47. l. 17. r. Thirdly p. 53. l. 30. r. for p. 58. l. 23. r. fold p. 59. l. 17. r. that fall p. 64. l. 23. r. therefore p. 81. l. 12. r. souls p. 94. l. 9. r. for are will be p. 100. l. 6. r. beautiful l. 20. r. not p. 112. l. 4. r. it 's p. 116. l. 30. r. if p. 128. l. 2. r. if p. 174. l. 9. r. Doctr. without first p. 175. l. 1. r. what things p. 199. l. 32. dele of p. 213. l. 26. r. lamps p. 219. l. 11. r. 140. p. 243. l. 18. r. cares p. 267. l. 2. after no add and leave things certain is unreasonable p. 269. l. 12. r. knee p. 287. l. 28. r. with p. 293. l. 26. d a. p. 295. l. 22. r. doth p. 299. l. 12. r. wares p. 304. l. first r. yea These with some other Errata's especially in the last sheets which the Author had not opportunity to review the Reader is desired to correct and Pardon Of Soundness of Heart The Substance of several Sermons upon Psal 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed THis Psalm doth consist of as many parts as there be Letters in the Hebrew Alphabet and every eight verses begins with a distinct Letter of the A phabet and it 's a Psalm that some of the Antients do call the very marrow and heart of the Scripture it being in the middest of the Book of God And divers Eulogies they have of it precious truths are contained in it And twice in this Psalm doth David make request unto God about his heart the one is in the 36. v. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness O Lord saith David I desire my heart may go the right way but I am not able to manage nor carry my heart as I would I would fain have it cleave to thy testimonies but it runs out here and there and therefore Lord saith he incline thou my heart unto thy testimonies thy testimonies are very precious they testifie of thy Nature they testifie of thine attributes they testifie of thy promises they testifie of thy will and good pleasure they testifie what will be the advantage of man for his present and eternal good incline my heart unto thy testimonies and 〈◊〉 to covetousness Alas what are the honours the pleasures the riches of the world to thy testimonies they
special care of his heart In 1 Tim. 6. he shews you there the danger of riches they that will be rich fall into temptations and a â—nare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in distruction and perdition they drown their souls and lose their hearts they are drown'd and lost in the creature if they look not the better to it Therefore Job had a special watch upon his heart Ch. 31.7 If my step hath turned out of the way and mine heart walked after mine eye Usually the heart lets out it self at the eye there are three windows that the heart goes out at out at the eye out at the mouth out at the act on s your hearts will follow your eyes your hearts will get out by your words or your hearts will get out by your actions Now a Godly man hath a special care of his heart least his heart be gone by the eye be gone by the mouth be gone by the actions therefore he looks well to his heart and looks well to these windows Eightly A Godly man hath special care of his heart because he knows where the heart goes the whole man goes if the heart goes the hand goes the foot goes the tongue goes all the whole man goes for the heart is the Master and all the members are the Servants in Psal 45. v. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King my tongue is the pen of a ready writer the tongue will follow the heart presently Psal 116. I believed therefore I spake when the heart is inditing then the tongue will follow so that if the heart go any way the foot the hand the tongue the eye the whole man follows after well saith a Godly man I had need look to my heart for which way that goes all goes the whole man goes and his Estate will go that way and his Name that way and his Relations that way and his Friends shall go that way if possibly he can draw them so that a Godly man looks to his heart for that 's the great wheel sets all on work Ninthly He hath a special care of his heart because he knows God accepts not of any thing unless the heart be in it therefore he will look to his heart and have a care of his heart in Isa 29. v. 30. saith the Lord there For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but they have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men I care not saith God for all their worship and sacrifices or any thing they do for their heart is not in it there 's no heart in their service nor in their sacrifices nor in their actions nor in any thing they do for me Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart 't is not give me thy eye or thy lip or thy tongue but my Son give me thy heart He knew if he had the heart he should have all the rest but if he had not that he should have none of the rest 't is the heart the soul the spirit that God's eye is upon and that he must have or else he will not accept of any thing Tenthly Lastly a good man looks to his heart and that in a special manner because he knows that his heart and spirit and soul must return to God from whence it came and be disposed of by God to all eternity Eccles 12.7 The spirit returns to God that gave it he speaks of man dying and then saith he the spirit returns to God that gave it well when a man is aged and comes to dye dust returns to dust but his spirit returns to God that gave it Now saith a Godly man this spirit was given me from God to keep and it must return now to God to be judged and God will search it to the quick and God will judge of it according as he finds it and dispose of it now eternally in Heaven or in Hell therefore saith a Godly man I had need look to my heart look to my spirit look to my soul for as my soul shall be disposed of so will my body be at the day of judgment after Death comes Judgment the body must be raised and united to the soul and where the Spirit hath gone to Heaven or Hell the body must go thither therefore saith a good man I will have a care of my heart a care of my soul that it may be well with me to all eternity Application First this serves to reprove those that are careless and negligent of their hearts and spirits you shall have men to be careful of their houses careful of their Ships careful of their Cloaths careful of their Body careful of their Beauty careful of their Names careful of their Relations but are careless of their hearts and spirits well had'st thou grace or wert thou so gracious as thou shouldest be thy greatest care would be of thy heart and of thy spirit it may be said of such as of the Spouse my own Vinyard have I not kept So these have not kept their Vinyards have not kept their Hearts have not kept their Souls this is a great and a common evil that men have care of this and that but not of their own hearts not of their own souls hath God committed souls to you are they precious and will you neglect them the sin be upon your own heads Secondly see here that they are not many who are of this practice to have a principal care of their hearts where almost can you find a man or woman that makes it their principal care to look to their hearts put but that question to them and they are silent they are at a stand what do you tell me of my heart and soul I have somewhat else to look after have you so look after what you will you look after a shadow and neglect the substance you look after that which is of no moment no weight but you neglect that which is better than all the world But I say there 's hardly a man or woman to be found in a great way that makes it their principal business to look after their souls saith Solomon in the 7. Eccles latter end One man of a Thousand have I found not a woman at all and but One man of a Thousand God made man upright and he hath sought out many inventions God made man to look to his soul and to have Communion with himself and to mind heaven and heavenly things But I have not found among women one and but one man of a thousand So may I say it is very rare to find a man or woman that makes it their principal business to look after their souls and yet that 's one of the principalest errands you were sent into the world about that you should mind your souls Thirdly
our good that God sent him to be bread and water of Life unto us that we might live through him God sent him to be our Mediator our Saviour our Redeemer and the like we are to receive these truths that God hath revealed concerning Jesus Christ Secondly It is to take Christ for the foundation and building and top stone of our Salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundations can no man lay then that is lay'd which is Jesus Christ To take the Lord Christ to be our Prophet to be our King to be our High Priest to be all in all unto us Thirdly It is to rely upon him and trust in him for the removal of all our sins supply of all our wants and investment of us in his own Righteousness this is to believe in the Name or in the Son and to depend upon him for Redemption for Sanctification for Reconciliation for Adoption for Salvation So then you see the point is that believing lyes under a command this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall now come to some questions and the Qu. First is Have we power to believe can any do it may they not as easily keep the Law as believe on the Son of God is there any power in us to do it An. You know that there are in the world divers sorts of people that do acknowledge power in us to do it But know that man simply considered in himself hath no power to believe in the Son of God 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from him if we ben't sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves as good but our sufficiency is of God surely we cannot believe then which is so great a work and glorious a work and in Col. 2.12 Faith is said to be the opperation of God not of Man But for the further clearing of the point know First that as God commandeth us to believe so he hath promised to give us faith Mat. 12.21 it 's said in him shall the Gentiles trust here is a promise made to us that are Gentiles that we shall trust in the name of Christ God will work that power in them that they shall trust in Christ and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and Joh. 6.37 all that the father giveth me shall come to me here 's a promise they shall come that is they shall believe And faith is called the gift of God Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God None but God can give Christ and none but God can give power to believe in Christ As faith is the Command of God so faith is likewise the work of God Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent that 's the first answer Secondly The Lord giveth the means whereby it is wrought namely the Gospel The Gospel is the means whereby faith is wrought which he hath appointed and ordained for that very purpose and therefore the Gospel is called faith Gal. 1.23 speaking of Paul that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed preacheth the faith that is the Gospel which works faith and is the means that God uses to work faith in the Souls of Men and Women The brazen Serpent was appointed of God to cure the stingings of the fiery Serpent no other Serpent would do it nor no other means would do it if they had used all the Physitians in the world they could not have done it but the brazen Serpent which God had appointed So no other word will work it but the Gospel which he hath appointed to work faith and therefore the Apostle tells you that faith comes by hearing hearing of the Gospel which is appointed by God for that very end Thirdly The Lord he doth accompany his word with his spirit to make it effectual the word without the spirit would not be effectual and therefore God doth accompany his word with his spirit that it may be effectual to work faith in the hearts of Men and Women Hence it is that the spirit is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having faith the Apostle the same spirit of faith it 's called the spirit of faith because by the Gospel it doth work faith in the hearts of Merrand Women and Gal. 3.2 This would I know of you saith the Apostle received you the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith why you heard the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and by the hearing of Faith you received the spirit for the Gospel is the Ministration of the spirit and the Chariot of the spirit and so God doth by the Gospel convey the spirit into the hearts of men and women and by the spirit works faith in their Souls Fourthly The Lord commands things that are hard for us yea impossible unto us that so we may seek to him to whom nothing is impossible Luke 1.37 for with God nothing shall be impossible no word is impossible to God whatever he hath said he is able to make it good and you know in the Gospel that blind Bartemeus he seeks unto Christ for the Cure of his eyes The blind man in Joh. 9. that was born blind his eyes were opened so we that were born blind and born dead still-born without grace without faith without spiritual life the Lord commands us to believe that we may look to him to convey life and work grace and faith in our souls But Fifthly There is in the Gospel the offer of Christ to sinners you shall see it clear in 13 Acts that the offer of the Lord Jesus Christ is offered in the Gospel and tendered unto sinners v. 26. Men and Brethren Children of the Stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent to you it 's sent and v. 38. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and in the 46. and 47. verses Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and Judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles so that Christ and salvation and all spiritual mercies are offered and tendered in the Gospel unto us unto us Gentiles unto us Sinners And surely such an offer is worthy of acceptation This very offer hath some efficacy and virtue in it to stir up souls to receive Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners O 't is a faithful
saying and it 's worthy of all acceptation whatsoever that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners will not every poor creature say why should not I accept of Christ and close with Christ now seeing he is offered unto me Sixthly Lastly you know there are choice promises in the Gospel and these promises are load-stones to draw our Iron hearts to Christs Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life O what a load-stone is here to a poor sinner I am like to perish and to dye but God hath so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life So in Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Here 's another sweet promise that they shall receive remission of their sins whatever they be that believe in him so that the promises are load-stones to draw us to Christ And so much for answer to that Question Q. Another question is this Doth believing lye under a command and is faith so necessary as that it must lye under a command it seems there 's a great necessity of believing is there such a necessity of believing A. Yes 't is not an Arbitrary thing an indifferent thing whether ye will believe yea or no. But in four or five particulars I shall shew you that there is a necessity of believing First Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Before you have saith you are evil Trees you are evil persons but when by saith we are engrafted into Christ then out fruit will be good fruit and we shall be good trees Now if there be a necessity of pleasing God then there will be a necessity of believing Secondly Is there any necessity you should be Children of God without faith you cannot be Children of God you may be Children of nature you may be Children of disobedience Children of darkness Children of wrath Children of death but you cannot be Children of God without faith Gal. 3.26 For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus If you han't faith in Jesus Christ you are not you cannot be Children of God and it 's a sad thing not to be a Child of God if there be a necessity then to be a Child of God there is a necessity of faith Thirdly Is there a necessity of having your sins forgiven you would you not have your sins forgiven you yes surely every man and woman would have their sins forgiven them but without faith you cannot have your sins forgiven Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins There must be Faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ if ever you would have the remission of your sins there 's no forgiveness without faith without shedding of blood there is no remission without faith in that blood shed you will never have remission Joh. 8.24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall dye in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins If persons have not faith in the person of the L. Jesus Christ they must dye in their sins and have no remission of them therefore as there is a necessity of having our sins forgiven so there is a necessity of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ You can never have any setled and solid comfort unless you have faith in the blood and death of Jesus-Christ your comforts will be unsetled why your sins are not forgiven if you have aprehensions your sins are not forgiven where 's your comfort where 's your peace where 's any settledness of spirit it can never be and that 's the thing that shakes most Professors because they are upon uncertainties about the forgiveness of their sins Fourthly you can never come to God as a Father without faith in the Son Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me that is by faith in me by saith in me the mediator by faith in me the Son of God by faith in me that am Jesus by faith in me that am Christ no coming to the Father but by him If you think there be any necessity of your coming to God and being sav'd eternally it must be by faith in the Son of God Fifthly Lastly faith is necessary or else you must certainly perish certainly be damned Joh. 3.18 36. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God whoever doth not believe on the name of the onely begotten Son of God is condemned already O what a sad thing to be a condemned man and in the 36 v. he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him a condemned man a man that hath the wrath of God abiding upon him a man that is in a perishing condition in Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Here 's the necessity of faith now Damnation without it Salvation with it so then you see that question answered I shall now come to the improvement or Inferences that I shall draw from this point that faith lyes under a command and Inf. 1. First I infer hence that we are dull backward of our selves to believe when things lye under Commands it 's an argument there is an indisposition and averseness in the natures and wills and hearts of those that are Commanded God commanded Moses to go and deliver his people out of Egypt what excuses had Moses and what a multitude of objections did he make and yet God commanded him to go and do the service so when God doth put us upon believing by Command it shews our natures are very dull and backward to believing Luke 24.25 O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken The Prophets have given out commands to believing as well as promises And they were fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets had spoken So that we may take notice of our backwardness and dullness to this work of faith seeing it lyes under a command Secondly I infer from hence the willingness of the Lord to have poor sinners receive the benefit that is to be had by Jesus Christ because he commands them to believe will not you of your selves do it then I command you saith he to believe and what 's the benefit you may see in Joh. 3.16 whosoever believes should not perish here 's great benefit to be kept out of Hell to
for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him made the righteousness how come we to be made why by faith in him Phil. 3.9 and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God through faith So that the way for a soul that 's troubled with sin and guilt of sin and the like is to believe in the Lord Jesus and to rest upon him who takes away sin and brought in a righteousness that is sufficient for us Fifthly if we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and can never be truly setled in our comforts and peace without faith in him then let us fetch our comforts our peace our assurance from Christ by believing and not from any thing of our own not from our repentance and obedience and Sanctification for these are mixt with imperfections these are defiled with our corruptions these are ebbing and flowing so will your comforts and peace and assurance be so long as you feed them from these these do not make us righteous before God it may be before men or in our own eyes may make us righteous our repentance our obedience our holiness but they do not make us so before God if we raise our comforts and peace and assurance from these it is from our own actings and this savours too much of a legal spirit if we believe in Christ and fetch all from him it will be certain and lasting and solid and will be unshaken Isa 45.24 It 's a Prophesie of the Gospel times Verily shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength I have none in my self and I can draw none from what self doth but in the Lord have I righteousness and strength There is sufficient righteousness and there is sufficient strength to bear up my peace and comfort and assurance so that the way to have solid comfort peace and assurance is to believe in the Lord Jesus and to fetch all from him Sixthly If believing in the Son of God do lye under a command then I infer from hence that it will be our duty to enquire whether we have obeyed this command and do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe the right way for there is some kind of faith in Christ which is not a right faith the Gospel tells us of some that believed yet afterwards fell off from Christ Now how shall we come to know whether we do believe aright in the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God or no this may be of use unto us I shall answer it in several particulars First that faith which is a true and right faith in the Lord Jesus Christ it follows conviction of unbelief Joh. 16.8 9. When he is come he will reprove or as it is in your Margins Convince the world of sin because they believe not on me that 's the Son The spirit of God when it comes convinces men and women of their unbelief convinces them of the evil of the greatness of this sin above all sins you think it may be other sins are very great and grievous sins Drunkenness Whordom Idolatry and the like yea but unbelief is the great sin of all that 's the soul damning sin and when faith comes all other sins are taken away but if you be unbelievers the guilt of all your other sins are bound upon you so that it convinces the soul of unlelief now have you had any conviction of what unbelieving hearts you have naturally how backward you are to believe how you put away promises and motions of the spirit well if you have a right faith it follows conviction of unbelief Secondly if you would know whether your faith be right or no in the Son of God then answer how you came by your faith How came you by your faith is it from your selves wrought by your own fancies from your reasonings is it a fillogistical faith only as thus he that believes shall be saved I believe and therefore I shall be saved this now is but a work of your own reasoning but the faith that is right is wrought by the power of God and is the gift of God Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead There was the operation of God in raising Christ from the dead and the same operation of God is put forth in the hearts of those that do believe and the Ephesians they could witness unto it Eph. 1.19 And what saith he is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Why there was power and greatness and exceeding greatness of power towards us who do believe yea according to the working of his mighty power the power that raised Christ from the dead even that mighty power was put forth in our souls to raise us out of the grave of unbelief to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so that in the 1 Thess 1.5 our Gospel saith he came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy-Ghost The power of the Holy-Ghost was put forth in working faith in the Thessalonians and so the power of God and his spirit is put forth in the working faith in any soul and usually some promise or some Gospel truth is set upon the heart in power where there is a right faith wrought as Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest and God so loved the world as he gave his onely begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and whoever will let him come without money and without price c. Gal. 4.28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the Children of promise Children that are born of the promise But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit c. so then they are born after the spirit the spirit sets on some promise some word of God which is a seed of faith and of grace and life in the soul and so you come by your faith that way Thirdly That faith which is right in the Son of God excludes all boasting Rom. 3.27 where is boasting then 't is excluded by what Law of works nay but by the Law of faith 't is faith that excludes boasting and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God So the soul now if it were justified by its own actings it hath cause to boast but he that is justified in Christ he hath no cause to boast the soul sees it could never come to Christ except
7 8 9. The Woolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them and the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the Ox. They shall be fed with the same meat the mind of Christ the Gospel and Gospel truths they shall eat and feed together and the meanest in the Church shall have no harm by them and he goes on the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den that is the meanest in the Church shall not be hurt by the greatest nor infected by those that were Dragons and Asps before full of gall and bitterness and venom and the like they shall be so cleansed by the Doctrine of Christ and the mind of Christ that the meanest Saint shall have communion and converse with them and what follows They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord there 's the mind of Christ now full of the mind of Christ that will purge out their malice and bitterness and enmity and there will be such a change and alteration such a harmony in affection as they will eat together Hear together Pray together Converse together and the like and so there will be much unity among all those that have the mind of Christ which will be a blessed thing for what saith the Psalmist Psal 133.1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity Behold it how beautiful and blessed a thing it is and Acts 4.32 the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul Why they were of Christs mind and so of one mind so then we should be of Christs mind that we may unite together and live sweetly and meekly and harmoniously together and in 1 Cor. 1.10 't is that the Apostle urges the Ceriuthians unto I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment and if we have Christs mind we shall have the same mind and the same judgment we shall be all of one mind Seventhly we should be all of Christs mind that so we may do our Christian work wisely and understandingly The Lord Christ did all things wisely and understandingly all his work as he was a High Priest all his work as he was a Prince all his work as he was a Prophet all his work as he was a private man And if we have the mind of Christ we shall do all things wisely and understandingly as becomes Christians Many Christians are very foolish and rash and inconsiderate and do things untowardly Why they go upon their own minds but if we have the mind of Jesus Christ we shall do all things wisely and advantagiously for the glory of God and good of others and peace and comfort of our own souls Eighthly Lastly we should be of the same mind that Christ is because if we be true Christians we have the same spirit that Christ had where is the same spirit there will be the same mind Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his If you han't Christs spirit no marvel you are not of his mind but if you be true Christians you have the spirit of Christ and if you have the spirit of Christ you must needs be of the mind of Christ for in 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit it is a spirit of wisdom and revelation and a spirit that doth discover the mind of the Lord Jesus unto the soul the spirit saith Christ shall take of mine shew unto you the spirit doth shew nothing unto those where it is but the mind of Christ now if there be the same spirit we shall be of the same mind Thus then you see why we should be of the same mind of Christ I shall come to some application of the point Application 1. This serves for reproof and First it reproves those that are so far from being of Christs mind as that they seldom or never mind Christ they mind earthly things as the Apostle saith O how many are there that mind Plays and mind Pictures and mind Histories and mind sea affairs winds and weather how many mind riches and buying and selling and building and eating and drinking and dressing and things of this nature that mind exchanges and friends c. and no marvel they have not the mind of Christ the Gadarens minded their Swine and minded not Christ but bad him go out of their Country so those that were bidden to the Feast they minded their Wives and Oxen and Farms but they minded not Christ this now is reproof to such Secondly it is reproof to those that it may be do somewhat mind Christ but not so as to live Christ and to seek the good of others and the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.24.31 you have both these Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth that is his spiritual wealth to do his soul good the welfare of Soul and Body and Relations and welfare of his mind and in the 31 verse whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God Here 's the great end we should aim at we should live Christ and seek the good of others and seek the glory of God but where are the men that do this nay men live now so as they are a reproach to Christ and to the name of Christ a dishonour to God and make a prey of their Brethren they live so as if the Devil were their Copy to write after and to imitate If the Devil should come up from Hell in the likeness of man how could he live worse then many men do that are called Christians O the debauchedness the blasphemousness the oppressions and the horrible evils that are committed in these our dayes by those that say they are Christians Christ told the Pharisees ye are of your Father the Devil and his works will ye do So we may tell many in City and Country you are of your Father the Devil and his works you will do what can they do worse almost then they do they are come to such a height of wickedness But let such rather unchristian themselves than to live as they do and be called Christians What will men not be of Christs mind and yet be Christians called Christians and live like Devils and worldlings and prophane wretches that neither fear God nor man better they had been Heathens then Christians it will be more easie for Sodom and
name of the Lord Jesus Christ Here 's nothing spoken of thoughts are thoughts free therefore Mens thoughts comprehend their reasonings within their consultations their desires their resolutions their intentions which are all included here being acts of the Mind as well as the others are acts of the Tongue and acts of the Hand for thoughts are not free We say thoughts are free free from man he can take no Cognizance of them but they are not free from the Lord he knows them and observes them Why think ye evil in your hearts saith Christ and how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee O jerusalem and God will bring all secret things to light but he doth not mention them because they are not obvious to others but howsoever they should be such as will suit with the name of Christ and our thoughts should be regulated and ordered answerably so as that they may be approved of him They do principiate our words and our actions and are included in words and actions But must all things be done in the name of Christ whatsoever ye do in word or deed let all be done in the name of Christ What ill as well as good done in the name of Christ No he intends not any evil for he writes to Christians and he writes to Saints as you may see Ch. 1.2 To the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ To Saints and faithful Brethren he writes and whatsoever they do in word or deed they must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they must have no ill thoughts in them no ill words in their mouths no evil deeds must issue from their hands and in the Chapter he had exhorted them to mortifie their earthly members therefore they are not to be entertained nor to issue from them and in 4. Phil. 8. he tells you there what are the things they should think of and so do Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue in you any grace in you if there be any praise you aim at think of these things and speak of these things and do these things these are the things that Christians should think of speak and do The Doctrine which I shall commend to you is this Doct. 1. That Christians words and actions should all be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ all that comes from a Christian should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Joh. 7.16 Christ faith my Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me 'T is my Fathers and I Preach in my Fathers name and Christ taught them to pray in his name whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name I will give it you and Christ sent them to Preach in his name Mat. 28. we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 and we believe in the name of the Son 1 Joh. 5.13 and Christians must do all in the name of Jesus Christ Now here I must shew you First what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Secondly why we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Thirdly make the improvement of the point For the first what it is to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus By name we understand Christ himself as the Scripture doth Acts 4.12 There is no name by which we can be saved but by the name of Christ But to do things in the name of Christ First is to have Authority and Commission from Christ to do what we do to do them in the authority of Christ by Commission from Christ 2 Thess 3.6 Now we command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is in the authority of Christ by Commission from Christ so that when we do things by Commission from Christ by the authority of Christ we are said to do things in his name In Luke 9.49 we saw one casting out Devils in thy name that is by authority and commission from thee pretended at least if not real and Mark 11.9 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord that is he that comes authorized from the Lord furnished with gifts and abilities for the work that he undertakes that comes in the name of the Lord by divine authority false Prophets they came in their own names they came not in the name of the Lord and therefore the Lord declares his anger against them and threatens them they had no authority no commission for what they did so that that 's the first thing to do in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do it by his authority Secondly To do in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do it by the strength of Christ in Psal 44.5 In or through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us There are many that rise up against us and fight and think to prevail and carry all and to bear us down but in thy name will we tread them under that is by thy help and by thy power and by thy strength we will tread them under so in 10. Luke 17. and the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy name through the power and strength of thy name we prevail against Devils they are subject unto us and that in 3. Acts 6. where the Apostle saith to the impotent man in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk that is by the power and strength of Jesus Christ rise up and walk The name of Christ there notes the power and strength of Christ so Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord when we go in the strength of the Lord we go in the name of the Lord and that David makes evident 1 Sam. 17.45 when he went against Goliah saith he I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts thou comest in thy own strength but I come in the strength of the Lord of Hosts to fight with thee and so he prevailed against him Hence saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.1 my Son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus dont rest upon the grace that is in thy self but be strong in the grace that is in Christ when we act in the strength of the grace of Christ then we act in the name of Christ when we lean upon him for strength and confide not in our selves this is doing in his name Thirdly To act in the name of Christ is to do things in the stead of Christ in the very place of Christ when Judges act in the name of the King they do all in his stead in his room in his place in Deut. 18.19 I will raise you up a Prophet like unto Moses and whosoever will not hearken unto the words he shall speak in my name I
will require it of him It 's spoken of Christ who was the Prophet to be raised up in the room of Moses and saith God whosoever will not hearken to what he shall speak in my name in my stead I will require it of him what Christ did was in the Fathers stead they were his words he spake his works that he did so that to do in the name of Christ is to do as Christ himself would do as if Christ were present to do what Christ would do and speak what Christ would speak and think what the Lord Christ would think that 's to do things in his name in his stead Fourthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them according to the will of Christ Joh. 16.23 compared with the 1 Joh. 5.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name shall be given unto you now in 1 Joh. 5.14 saith John who was the beloved Disciple and told you Christs words in the Gospel he interprets them here and tells you this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us What is according to his will is in his name whatsoever we ask or whatsoever we do according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in the name of Christ and so the proposition En is taken in Scripture for according Joh. 3.21 he that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God according to the will of God Men don't properly do their works in God but according to the will and mind of God so that when we do act either in word or deed according to the will of Christ then we do things in the name of Christ Fifthly to do all in the name of Christ is to do all for the sake of Christ so you will find the name of Christ to be taken Mark 9.37 whosoever shall receive one such Child in my name receiveth me that is whosoever receiveth one of such Children for my name sake receiveth me so in the 41 v. whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name that is for my sake so that to do things for the sake of Christ is to do things in the name of Christ Joh. 17.12 I kept them in thy name that is for thy sake in 4. Eph. 1. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord a Prisoner in the Lord saith your Margin but properly 't is a Prisoner for the Lord 't is for the Lords sake that I am a Prisoner so that to do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is to do them for his sake and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same force with other Prepositions as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall be hated of all Nations for my sake Mat. 24.9 and so in Acts 9.16 how great things he must suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name And in the 19 Mat. 29. he that hath forsaken houses or any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my name sake so then to do things in the name of Christ is to do them for Christs sake as when Beggars do beg of you for Christs sake to bestow an alms upon them if you give them an Alms for Christs sake that 's in the name of Christ Sixthly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them to the honour and glory of his name to do them to Christs account so that Christ may not be damnified nor suffer any way but that Christs name may be honoured 2 Cor. 8.7 saith the Apostle as ye abound in every thing in faith in utterance in knowledge and in your love to us the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your love towards us so that the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies towards So here to do all in the name of Christ is to do all towards Christ towards the honouring of Christ suitable to that in 1 Cor. 10.31 whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God do all to the glory of his name do all to the manifestation of Christ and his name let our words and actions be such as may hold forth something of Christ hold forth the name of Christ Rev. 2.13 Antipas did hold fast the name of Christ the truths of Christ the graces of Christ the profession of Christs Doctrine and Acts 9.15 Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel he must hold forth my name and declare something of me that may be for my honour and glory it 's said in 2 Phil. 16. holding forth the word of life when we hold forth the word of life we hold forth the name of Christ and this is for the honour of Christ when Christians hold forth Christs meekness Christs humility Christs patience Christs love any truth of Christ any thing of Christ then they do things in the name of Christ they do honour and glorifie Christ 1. Cor. 14.25 if one come into the Church that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secreâ—s of his heart are made manifest and so falling down upon his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth They held forth something of God they held forth the name of God and God was glorified and a heathen or a stranger coming in saith of a truth God is in you Christs works declared the Father to be in him Joh. 14.10.11 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake The works that I do do hold forth the Father why they are done in the Fathers name and he is glorified by the works that I do and Christ glorified his Father here on earth by doing of his Fathers will and his Fathers works Seventhly Lastly to do things in the name of Christ is to do them by invocating of Christ by invocating of the name of Christ and so Beza and Zanchy and others interpret this place Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name that is invocating of me calling upon my name to call upon the Lord for councel for direction for our thoughts for our words for our actions this is doing things in the name of Christ It was the practice of the Saints to do so 1 Cor. 1.2 unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord they called upon the name of Jesus Christ to have councel and direction and advice from him for their words and actions and all their
his honour and glory Fifthly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus if we consider the near relation we are in to Christ First we are members of his body true believers are members of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and every member should act for the head and do all in the name of the head Secondly we are subjects to Christ he is their King and they must do all in the name of the King Subjects must act as Subjects in the name of the King and we as Christs Subjects must act in Christs name he is our King our Soveraign and our Commander Thirdly we are the Spouse of Christ and the Spouse must do all in the name of her Husband what she doth in her own name will not be warrantable in Law so what we do will not be warrantable in the Court of Heaven if it be not done in the name of Christ Sixthly Lastly we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus because this is to live a Christian life indeed 't is said of all men that in God they live and move all men in the common providence of God they live and move but Christians live in Christ he is their life and hence Paul saith I live not but Christ lives in me I do not live as a man or as a learned man or as a Pharisee but I live as a Christian I live nay Christ lives in me I dont live upon the account of a learned man or a natural man and the like but Christ lives in me and I live in him in his life in his strength in his will in his mind as a servant a true servant when he comes to a house where he is to be a Servant he must lay down his own will and mind and his own hands and feet he must do nothing now in his own name and strength but he must live in his Masters will and in his Masters Commands and in his Masters authority so a Christian he lives in Christ when we lay down our own wills and reasons and the like and make the reason and end of all we do to be Christ then are we Christians indeed Christs reason is my reason Christs will is my will Christs glory is my end Christs word is my rule this now is true living the life of a Christian thus you see several reasons why we should do all in the name of Jesus Christ I shall now come to some inferences or improvements of the point Inf. First if we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus then I infer from hence here 's matter of humiliation to us all we have great cause to be humbled every one of us not only because we have done evil which calls for humbling to or because we have neglected good which calls for humbling also but humbled because we have done good done good the wrong way done good in our own names in our own strength and not in the name of the Lord Jesus who is there among us that can say he hath done and spoken all in the name of the Lord Jesus many talk they have done this good and that good but tell me hast thou done it in the name of the Lord Jesus if it shall be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary there will be defects found and thy self will be too light and thy best actions will be defective and imperfect and call upon thee to be humbled even for thy righteousness for Preaching for Praying for Hearing for breaking bread for alms for all that ever we do there will be such gaps and such gulfs and failings as we have cause to be ashamed even of our righteousness saith the Prophet all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags what filthy Rags thy righteousness yea all our righteousnesses as filthy Rags why filthy Rags defile us many think O their good works do purifie and cleanse them and answer for their sins and are meritorious and the like no our best works do defile us because there are such defects in them and especially when they are not done in the name of the Lord Jesus according to his will and in his strength and for his honour and glory we have no cause then of being swell'd and puffed up with conceits of what we have done or ever shall do Secondly if all must be done in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus then I infer that no thoughts no words no actions are to be conceived uttered or done which are not authorized by the Lord Jesus which are not according to his will which Christ himself would not think and speak and do none should be used by us which dont manifest something of Jesus Christ which tend not to the glory of his name which we dare not pray unto him to give a blessing unto we have many vile thoughts in us many foolish words in our mouths and many acts are done which we dare hardly look up to Christ and say Lord bless this thought or Lord bless this word or Lord bless this act all such thoughts words and acts therefore are to be laid by you know what he saith here in the Chapter before Mortifie your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence all our affections they should be look'd well unto and we should have no affection but that we may look unto Christ for a blessing upon it and so all the rest What abundance of fears are in men and women which they dare not look up to Christ to bless those fears they may look up to him to scatter those fears but not to bless them we should be in the fear of the Lord all the day a Godly fears so what doubts have we about the Scriptures about the Trinity about our salvation about our estate and condition but they are not such as are warranted by Christ and for his honour and glory Those that pray to Saints do they do it in the name of the Lord Jesus So those that worship and adore Images how dare they do it in the name of Christ so those that bow to an Altar how dare they do it in the name of Christ so those worship the Bread how dare they do it in the name of Christ Christ never will approve of such kind of actions or thoughts tending to such wayes and practices Whatever therefore is not according to Christ and may not be done in the name of the Lord Jesus which Christ would not do we should not dare to think speak or do Thirdly See hence two great evils among men even good men and good women First we may see here why many so oft miscarry in their undertakings they do not what they do in word or deed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they do things in their own names and in their own strength and according to their own wills and for their own glory so Judas did
't is not to second causes it is to the L. C. that we owe the success of all when we do things in his name and for his sake he doth bless them and give success to our endeavours when we begin with Christ and take Christ along with us and do all as we ought to do then Christ blesses and then he gives success When we pray in Christs name he tells us God will give Joh. 16.23 so in 4 Eph. last even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you for Christs sake it is If we pray and beg pardon 't is for Christs sake we have our prayers heard and pardon given in and whatsoever attempts you make and success you have If you do it in the name of Christ it is for his sake you have the blessing therefore dont say it is your endeavours and your contrivance and diligence and care and circumspection no it is for the Lord Jesus Christ 't is he that gives the success and the blessing Seventhly if we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ then let us examine we who are Christians and bear the name of Christ let us examine whether we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it 's good to know in whose name you do your actions You will say how shall we know that You may know it by what I have said already do you do all in the authority of Christ in the strength of Christ in the stead of Christ do you do all according to the will of Christ for the sake of Christ for the honour of Christ by invocating of the Lord Jesus Christ then you do it in his name But to add some few things more First you may know it by this if you do things in Christs name then you do consult much with the Lord Christ and take counsel from him and from his word you will not trust your own heads nor trust your own hearts he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool saith Solomon and we have many such fools in the world sound wisdom and Counsel are mine saith Christ Prov. 8.14 None can give you sound wisdom and sound councel but my self now do you go to Christ for councel do you advise with him and consult with him it 's an Argument then you do things in his name David in the 119. Psal 24. saith Thy Testimonies art my delight and my Councellors I delight in thy Testimonies and they are my Councellors I consult with thy word the word of God the word of Christ I consult with that and I do all according thereunto therefore he is said to be a man fulfilling all the wills of God he took advice from Gods word he went to Christ who gave him sound wisdom and sound Councel but if we go about our actions and do our own wills and never advise with Christ we go in our own strength and the issue is not like to be successful Secondly you shall know it hereby they that do all in the name of the Lord Jesus they advance him and make him high and lay themselves low whose name soever things are done in they are advanced if we do things in our own names we advance our selves if we do things in the names of men we advance men but if we do things in Christs name we advance the Lord Jesus Christ when Servants do things in their own names they spoil all then their Masters are laid low but when they do all in the name of their Masters then their Masters are exalted Now ask your souls what advancement Christ hath from your thoughts words or actions saith David Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God and I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely I 'le go in thy strength that is in thy name every attribute is his name as I told you to go in the name of Christ is to go in the strength of Christ now saith he I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine onely I will exalt thy name and thy righteousness and exalt thine onely do you therefore go out in the strength of Christ and exalt his righteousness onely his name onely his truths onely his ordinances onely Paul did so in 15 Rom. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Have the Gentiles been brought in are they obedient in word are they obedient in deed 't is not my work but the work of Jesus Christ I will not dare to speak of any thing is mine but I will altogether speak of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ thus he advances Christ So that if you do things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ you will advance Christ and lift him up and it 's no matter who goes down so he goes up so did John the Baptist he must increase I must decrease and it matters not for I am not worthy to loose the Latchet of his Shoes so excellent is he Thirdly whosoever doth all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ his name is not onely an incentive to action but an attractive to action for as there is power in his name so there is love in the name of Christ the power of that name will bind the heart to obedience but the love that is in the name doth work complacency in the obedience it works complacency and delight as in the name so in the obedience that is given to that name he makes it his incentive and faith the work is necessary and must be done but the other that finds it an attractive faith the work is good and I will do it I must do this and I must do that saith one but saith another the work is good and I will do it Psal 73.28 It 's good for me to draw nigh to God He dont say 't is my duty 't is necessary but it 's good for me I delight to draw near to God So that if we do all in the name of Christ we shall find the name of Christ an attractive to draw our hearts to do things with delight and pleasure Fourthly You shall know it hereby for he that doth all in the name of Christ makes that name the ground and pillar for a blessing upon his actions when I speak in the name of Christ or act in the name of Christ I make the name of Christ the pillar and the ground of my hope for a blessing upon what I say or what I do It is not the goodness of my action which is the ground of my hope a man may be importunate in Prayer and be zealous and pray very well but he dont make this the ground of his hope A man may be very sollid in Preaching and very serious in Hearing but this must not be the ground of his
scattered and are strengthened with strength in your souls how sweet is this Now there is true sweetness in acting for Christ a true friend will do Christ service and be thankful for the service because there is a great deal of sweetness in it 1 Tim. 1.12 saith Paul I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me c. putting me into the Ministry I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that hath put me into service he would not have been thankful unless he had found some sweetness in his service It will be our wisdom therefore to do all in the name of Christ if you would find sweetness in the name of Christ so David and the Princes when they had offered so willingly as in the 1 Chron. 29.13 14. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Lord thou hast given to us and we have given to thee and we thank thee that we have had hearts to give unto thee how sweet delightful and pleasing is thy service therefore it will be your wisdom to do all in the name of Christ for it comes from love in you and you will find sweetness in doing for Christ and you will be thankful for the service you do upon that account Thirdly we should do all in the name of Christ from this consideration that it is a special means both to prevent sin and to promote holiness First to prevent sin 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that names the name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity He that names the name of Christ must depart from iniquity this is a preventing of sin now mentioning his name should make us depart from iniquity Why the Lord Christ himself he hated iniquity and loved righteousness His very name should mind us thereof Christ hates iniquity and I will depart â—som iniquity Secondly and acting in his name will put us upon holiness and labouring to he holy The soul saith will Jesus Christ do this I am a doing now but would Christ do thus would Christ think thus would Christ speak thus no Christ would not Christ would speak holy words and do holy actions and think holy thoughts therefore I must do as Christ would do I do all in his name we read of Alexander that had a Souldâ—er in his Camp that did bear his name when Alexander heard it he calls for the Soldier and asks him his name he told him his name was Alexander is it so saith he then see you do nothing unworthy the name of Alexander do that which becomes Alexander so do we bear the name of Christ we must do that which becomes the name of Christ do we bear the name of Christian we must do what becomes a Christian one said I could do this or that if I were not a Christian but I am a Christian and I dare not do this or that I dare not go into such Company I dare not drink healths I dare not be in the mode and fashion of the world And so in the Primitive times the question was have you kept the Sabbath the answer was I am a Christian I dare not neglect the Lords day I dare not speak my own words nor think my own thoughts nor find my own pleasure and why I am a Christian and so it promotes holiness therefore we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Fourthly Lastly we should do all in his name because it will unite and tye the heart of God and Christ abundantly to us Those persons who act all in the name of Christ they are faithful persons as a Servant that doth all in the name of his Master he is a faithful Servant The unjust Steward did not things faithfully he did things in his own name and therefore his Masters favour was not towards him he had none of his favour nor countenance his heart was alienated from him but those that do all in the name of the Lord Christ they are faithful and the heart of Christ is towards such and is wide unto such in Mat. 24.46 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Blessed is that Servant why his heart is towards this Servant and pronounces a blessing upon him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing how doing doing all in my name and according to my will and for my glory doing all by invocation of my name O blessed is that Servant which when his Lord cometh shall find so doing his heart is greatly towards him The heart of his Master can trust safely in him all the dayes of his life as it 's said of the virtuous Wife Prov. 31.11 The heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil So the Lord Christ can trust in that man or woman who doth all in his name they are faithful and he can trust in them I it is a great honouring of Christ and Christ will honour such a one it 's an honouring of Christ honouring of Christs wisdom honouring of Christs power honouring of his word and name it is the highest service we can do to Christ to do all in his name and the Lord Christ will honour such an one his heart is tyed to him he dares trust him with all he commits his secrets to such So then you see the exhortation back'd with some motives why we should do all in the name of Jesus Christ One thing more which is what directions will you give us now to help us to do all in the name of Christ we see it is a duty a good work and we would gladly do it but what directions and helps may be given to further us therein First consider that the Lord Christ is your Lord. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus if you be Christians he is your Lord Now our Lords commands our Lords will our Lords councels we must do them we must not do our own wills we are the Lords he is our Lord and therefore we must do his will Luke 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say What do you call me Lord and will not you do what I say command and appoint you and do it as I appoint you do all in my name why do you call me Lord Surely if Christ be our Lord we must do all in his name and the more we shall think of Christs Lordship and authority over us the more will our hearts be inclined to do things in his name why he is the best of Lords he is a blessed Lord a sweet Lord a good Lord there is no Tyranny in this Lord no hurt in this Lord nothing but all for good in this Lord he
is Lord in your heart he is Lord in your spirits he is Lord in your tongues he is Lord in your heads he is Lord in all your wayes therefore look upon him as Lord and Moderator of all your thoughts words and actions and this will help you to do things in his name Secondly if you would do things in his name then mind the very example and practice of the Lord Jesus Christ himself he did not do things in his own name but he did all in his fathers name and therefore we should do all in his name when he requires it of us as the Father required it of him he did all in his Fathers name in Job 5.43 I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not I am come but I come in my Fathers name I dont come in my own name I run not on my own head I come not with my own will or my own words to do what I would but I am come in my Fathers name and the Fathers works he did in Joh. 10.25 Jesus answered them I told you and ye believe not the works that I do in my Fathers name they bear witness of me all the works that I do I do in my Fathers name not in my own name Now here 's a good example for us to mind the Lord Christ he did all in his Fathers name and so should we do all in Christs name and if we do them in his name we do them in the Fathers name also Paul did all in Christs name and we should do all in Christs name He did all in his Fathers name and his example is an unerring example Thirdly If we would do all in the name of Christ then let us get lowâ—â—â—o the Lord Jesus Christ 'T is want of love that makes us do so little in the name of Christ if we had love enough to Christ it would make us act in his name the name of Christ is an Oyntment poured out therefore do the Virgins love thee if we did look at the name of Christ as an Oyntment poured out sweet and precious and saving and comforting indeed O it would make us love the Lord Jesus as the Virgins do A Wife that loves her Husband it will make her do all in her Husbands name Oh if we had love to Jesus Christ we would do all in his name why the Lord Christ he loved his Father and saith he I keep his Commandements and abide in his love 'T is love will make you do things in the name of Christ the more love is in any soul the more it will act in the name of Christ and honour him Fourthly Lastly if we would do all in Christs name then let us consider the great reward that we shall have the reward will be great if we do all in his name I there will be a reward here and a reward hereafter we glorifie him and honour him much if we do all in his name I all the glory will be his now if we glorifie him we shall have a reward in our very acting how sweet is that action which is done aright in a right manner to a right end from a right principle how sweet is it as the Psalmist saith in keeping of thy Commandements there is great reward in the very keeping of the commands of God and Christ is great reward 〈◊〉 is great peace great comfort great content sweetness communion with God and at the end there is great reward Crowns of Glory a Kingdom Rivers of pleasure great reward so in doing things in the name of Christ there is a great reward in the very doing of it great sweetness great content to the soul great peace great communion with God great favour of Christ and afterwards there will be a great and glorious reward for the soul that doth so in the 12. John 26. If any man serve me saith Christ let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be if any man serve me why who serves Christ better than he that doth all in Christs name if we be the Servants of Christ we shall do all in the name of Christ and what then Let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be and if any man serve me him will my Father honour He shall be honoured by me and honoured by my Father honoured in Earth and honoured in Heaven honoured with a Kingdom and Glory and honoured with fruition of nâ—e and of my Father and all that is desirable Therefore consider of the great reward you shall have if you do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ The preciousness of the Word Psal 19.10 More to be desired are they then Gold yea then much fine Gold THe Psalmist had lay'd down in the former part of the Psalm many commendations of the Law the Statutes the Commandements the Testimonies and Judgments of the Lord. And here he draws up a conclusion concerning them all They are more to be desired then Gold then much fine Gold The words themselves are a Doctrine or an Observation and you may take it thus Doct. Divine truths are more to be desired then the choicest Treasures of the earth then all earthly treasures Two things are here to be done First to shew you that Gold is desirable and truths upon the same account Secondly that divine truths are more desirable then Gold or Silver or any earthly treasures whatsoever For the first two things there First what desire is Secondly that Gold is desirable and the truths of God upon the same account First what desire is desire is the reaching out of the soul after some good affected not in possession but absent saith David O that I had of the water of the Well of Bethlehem here 's the reaching out of his soul after some good affected 2 Sam. 23.15 saith Rachel give me Children or else I dye here 's the reaching out of her Soul after Children It is after good affected Either seeming good or real good affected Love is the root that bears desire and desire is the branch or fruit the hand and opperation of Love what we have no Love to we dont desire but what we have some Love too that we do desire It is the affecting of Good either seeming or real Solomon he desires wisdom that was a real good and he had real desires of it The desire of the Righteous is onely to good saith Solomon and there are seeming goods Eve desires the fruit 't was but a seeming good to her for it brought woe and sorrow to her and all hers Amnon desires Tamar it was a seeming good but a real evil Achan desires the Wedge of Gold it was his ruine Gehezi desires the Garments and the Wedge of Gold Now there must be good real or in appearance where desire is carried out unto it the soul sees some amiableness in the thing it doth desire and so it puts forth its desires after it
that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage Their affections were set upon those things When the affection is set upon any thing we love the thing Fifthly We are said to love the world when we imploy the chiefest or most of our strength in and upon and about the things of the world when our chiefest strength is imployed about them our time and strength goes out most that way In the 6. Joh. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth saith Christ but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you c. Labour not when our chief labour is about meat that perishes and upon these things we love them When the bent of the soul is that way when men rise early and lye down late and spend their time that way In the 13. Rom. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof When we make provision for the flesh and the lusts thereof to fulfil them to gratifie them and satisfie them 't is an Argument that we love the world men follow it with eagerness their time and strength are improved that way Sixthly We are said to love the world when as we do watch all opportunities and occasions to get the things of the world to buy cheap and sell dear to get great estates and houses and lands and things of that nature The Children of this world saith Christ are wiser in their Generation than the Children of light The Children of the world are wise in their generation to get all advantages whereby to raise themselves In the 8. Amos 4. Hear this O ye that swallow up the needy even to make the poor of the Land to fail They do watch advantages even to swallow up the needy to make a prey of the needy and to have their labour for a song and for nothing They swallow up the needy and make the poor of the Land to fail They are like unto the Eagle or unto the Kite that sores aloft and looks downward to seize upon the prey the heart ranges and roves abroad after something or other in the world to settle upon In the 12. Luke 29. Seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful mind Be not like Meteors in the air that hover there and then fall upon the earth so many are like Meteors in the air hovering about and at last they fall upon the earth Some do say if I had gotten such an estate then I would take my ease and be at rest as in the 18. Prov. 10 11. saith the wise man there The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as a high wall in his own conceit A rich man when he hath gotten wealth he will settle upon it it 's his strong City he will rest there it 's as a high wall in his own conceit 't is a wall to defend him against all his enemies and all injuries and wrongs So then we love the world when we watch advantages and hover over the things of the world to get something to rest upon and confide in and trust in and secure our selves by Seventhly We love the world when we can endure great hardships for it and the things of it That which we love we will endure any thing to accomplish it Jacob he loves Rachel and he will endure cold and heat Winter and Summer to accomplish his desires So when men can endure great difficulties and run through great dangers and venture upon any thing to get the world they do love the world It 's said of Souldiers they will venture their limbs and lives for eight pence a day And hose that are Duellers will venture their souls for their credit 't is not their credit their honour to put up an injury or a wrong but they must venture the hazzard of their lives and souls to maintain their credit and honour In Psal 107.23 24 25 26 27. you may see how men endure the dangers and the storms at Sea They that go down to the Sea in Ships and do business in great waters they see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the Heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble They endure trouble even that melts their very souls They reel too and fro and stagger like a Drunken man and are at their wits end Men will endure any thing at Sea to get the wealth of the world which argues the love of the world All the difficulties that they meet with will not quench their love though they meet with storms and waves and dangers yet it doth not quench their love to the world they are not weary of any thing so they may get the world But as for the things of God and of the Soul the Gospel and the Sabbath how soon are men weary of these Amos 8.5 Hear this ye that swallow up the needy you say when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat making the Ephah small and the Shekel great and falsifie the ballances by deceit They are not weary of the world but soon weary of the new Moon and weary of the Sabbaths and of the Ordinances of God Men can endure any difficulties and dangers to get estates but will hardly endure any thing to get Heaven and Grace and Interest in Christ Eighthly Men love the world when they savour much or most of the world When they savour most of the world in their discourses and the things of the world they are of the world Christ tells you out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks When the world 's in the heart the heart loves it Now it 's an argument the world 's in the heart when mens discourses are of the world and savour most of the world In Joh. 3.31 saith the Lord Christ he that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that is of the earth is earthly when men are of the earth worldly and love the world they are earthly and speak of the earth and savour the things of the earth How savory are discourses of gain and pleasures and honours to them In Joh. 8.23 And he said unto them ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world Christ was not of the world and he was speaking of heaven and heavenly things and the things that concern the eternal good of mens souls but they were of the earth and spake of the earth He speaks of the Scribes and Pharises how they did love the applause of men and vain glory and sought high places and upper rooms and things of that nature They were of the
not what We brought nothing into the world and 't is certain men dont think it certain that they shall carry nothing out of the world but 't is certain you may build upon it that you shall carry nothing out of the world Well let us be content then with a little of the world Fourthly This serves for reproof to reprove most men and women Professors Christians those that are look'd upon as Godly and in the state of grace 't is a reproof unto them that they love the world and the things of the world I might bitterly and sharply reprove men and women and professors upon this account But I know what will be said presently we dont love the world we do but use the world I should be glad it would prove so let us come to the test then and try it out whether we do love the world yea or no and I shall desire you to put some questions to your own hearts to deal impartially with them for you see what is said Love not the world not the things of it Qu. First put this question unto your souls am I not more careful and take greater pains and am at greater costs for the things of the world then I am for my soul and the things of my soul then I am for heaven and the things of heaven spiritual things how careful are men and women and what costs and pains will they be at for houses Land Purchases good Bargains what a deal of pains do men take about these things if there be a crack in a title of Land or of a House what pains will they take to cleer up things to get things made sure If there be a storm at Sea that Ships be in danger what insuring is there Men will take pains and be at cost to insure the same but now as for their souls and eternal conditions what little pains do men take and what little cost will they be at that way whereas the Scripture saith Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling you are in a storm and your salvations are in danger you may lose your souls work out your salvations with fear and trembling Work them out of the dark work them out of the doubts and fears and all disputes work them out against all objections and get things cleer'd up work out your salvations with fear and trembling 't is a hard work a difficult work to accomplish and bring about and there need be great pains taken about it 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure there must be diligence give diligence to it saith he it calls for it it is not easily done 't is not saying A Lord have mercy upon me will save a man or assure a man No there must be praying and strugling and crying and wrestling with God searching of Scriptures and applying of truths home to a mans own heart and v. 5. Giving all diligence add to your faith virtue c. men and women should be diligent and very diligent and all their diligence should run out that way to get grace and to make their callings and elections sure Now we give all diligence in other things and little pains is taken about the soul what doth this argue then but that I love thy world and the things of the world my love 〈◊〉 greatest that way Qu. Secondly Put this question to your own hearts doth not the world and the things of it jossel aside and out of place the things 〈…〉 of God Do not the things of the world 〈◊〉 the wall of the things of God and jossel tha◠aside In the 14. Luke when they were called to the great feast they all made their excuses saith one I have bought a yoke of Oxen and I must go try them I have bought a Farm and I must go see that I have married a Wife and I cannot come they could not come to hear Christ nor partake of the great things that Christ tendred unto them in the Gospel they jossel'd out these things So the things of the world do jossel our prayer the reading of the world instructing of their family meditating and the examining of their hearts c. and if they do not jossel them out yet they do curtail them and they are shortened and lessened do you in the first place seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof No the things of the world it 's to be fear'd do jossel out the things of the Kingdom of heaven the things of God and of the Soul and this is an argument that we love the world when better things and things of greater weight and concernment are set aside for petty and mean things in comparison some flight business do make a man neglect holy duties or post them over in a formal way whereas David who was a man after Gods own heart a gracious man in the 119. Psal saith I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I considered my wayes the world was drawing me another way but I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments and v. 62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous Judgments I will rise at mid-night I will break my sleep I will do it in secret when no eye sees me none privy to it but God We hardly will awake to give thanks to God for choice mercies much less for righteous Judgments it 's one argument we love the world when spiritual things and duties are thrust aside upon the account of the things of the world Qu. Thirdly Put this question to your souls soul art thou content with a little art thou content with a little grace with a little knowledge of God with a little communion with God with a little heavenly-mindedness but art thou not eager upon the things of the world and never content and satisfied with the world and the things thereof Soul wouldst thou not have more and more and more and more still of the things of the world more this week and more next year and daily more and more of the world Is it not with your souls as with the Horse-leech in the Prov. that cryes give give Soul if it be so thou dost love the world men and women deceive themselves and think they dont love the world when as still they are greedy of the world and covetous after the things of the world In the 8. Amos 5. When will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat When will these spiritual duties be over that we may mind the world and follow the world and get the world In the 1. Prov. 19. So is every one that is greedy of gain Men are greedy of gain men look upon those that are rich in the world and they labour to be like them